Jun Mizutani

2.1. Childhood and Education

As a child, Mizutani was described as an all-rounder in sports, participating in various activities such as soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Despite his diverse interests, he also developed a fascination with professional wrestling in junior high school, admiring wrestlers like Atsushi Onita and following promotions from Big Japan Pro-Wrestling to WWE.

He began his formal education at Iwata Kita Elementary School in Iwata. Recognizing the importance of a specialized environment for his burgeoning table tennis talent, he transferred to Aomori Yamada Junior High School in his second year of junior high, where he lived in a dormitory. He later continued his studies at Aomori Yamada High School, a renowned institution for table tennis, before enrolling in the School of Political Science and Economics at Meiji University, from which he graduated in 2012.

2.2. Early Interest in Sports and Influences

Mizutani's parents were both experienced table tennis players, and his father served as the representative for the Toyoda-cho Table Tennis Sports Youth Club. Jun became a first-generation member of this club, beginning his table tennis journey at the age of five. Initially, he was right-handed, but his parents, recognizing the strategic advantages of left-handed play in table tennis, decided to train him to play with his left hand. This early decision proved to be a pivotal factor in his unique playing style.

His competitive career began early. In his first appearance at the All Japan Table Tennis Championships Bambi Division (for elementary school students aged 2 and under) in his first year of elementary school, he finished as runner-up, solidifying his commitment to the sport. He went on to win the Bambi, Cub, and Cadet divisions in subsequent years, demonstrating his exceptional talent from a young age.

3.1. Early Career and Junior Achievements

Mizutani's talent quickly became apparent in his junior years. In January 2004, at the age of 14, he won the junior division of the All Japan Table Tennis Championships, becoming the youngest male champion in the event's history. He also achieved a ranking in the general division, drawing attention for his innate soft ball touch.

During his time at Aomori Yamada Junior High, he contributed to Japan's first gold medal in the East Asian Hopes men's team event and secured Japan's first gold medal in the Asian Cadet men's singles. In 2005, at just 15 years and 10 months old, he was selected for the World Table Tennis Championships, becoming the youngest male Japanese representative at the time. He also helped Japan win its first gold medal in the men's team event at the 2005 World Junior Championships and earned Japan's first silver medal in men's singles at the same event.

3.2. Professional Debut and International Exposure

Mizutani's transition to professional play included significant international exposure. As a reinforced player for the Japanese national team, he studied abroad in Germany with teammates like Seiya Kishikawa, playing in the German Table Tennis Bundesliga. He spent a large part of the year in Germany, but his diet of pizza and cola led to a fatigue fracture in his right shin during his first year of high school, forcing him to take six months off. This experience led him to prioritize a balanced diet.

In 2005, at the 48th World Table Tennis Championships in Shanghai, he defeated Chuang Chih-yuan of Taiwan, who was then world number 8 and an Olympic quarter-finalist. Despite the adverse atmosphere due to strained Japan-China relations, with most spectators cheering for his opponent, Mizutani secured the victory. In the same year, he defeated Wang Hao, then world number 2 and an Olympic silver medalist, at the Asian Championships, establishing himself as Japan's rising star.

In 2006, he achieved a triple crown at the All Japan Table Tennis Championships, winning men's singles, men's doubles (with Seiya Kishikawa), and the men's junior singles. His victory in men's singles, where he defeated defending champion Kaii Yoshida, made him the youngest All Japan Table Tennis Champion at 17 years and 7 months.

From 2008, he joined the Zhejiang Commercial Bank team in the China Table Tennis Super League and later the Sichuan Post Savings & Pioneer Auto team in 2010. In the 2008 Chinese Super League, he defeated Zhang Jike, who would go on to win multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medals. In 2010, he also defeated Wang Liqin, an 11-time World Championship gold medalist, in the Chinese Super League.

3.3. Domestic Dominance

Mizutani's career was marked by unparalleled success in Japanese domestic competitions. He won the All Japan Table Tennis Championships men's singles title for five consecutive years from 2007 to 2011, a feat unprecedented in the event's history. He later extended this record, winning the title a total of 10 times, becoming the player with the most singles titles in the tournament's history. He also holds the record for reaching the All Japan Championships singles final for 13 consecutive years.

In men's doubles, he won the All Japan Championships 7 times, including four consecutive titles, matching the record for most wins. He also achieved multiple victories in the Japan Top 12 Table Tennis Tournament (2010, 2011, 2014, 2018) and the Japan Table Tennis League Big Tournament (2011, 2013). His consistent performance kept him at the top of the national rankings, reaching a highest Japanese ranking of 1st.

3.4. Olympic Games

Mizutani competed in four Olympic Games, achieving historic milestones for Japanese table tennis.

3.5. World Championships

Mizutani achieved significant success at the World Table Tennis Championships across various events.

In singles, he reached the quarter-finals in both 2011 and 2015. In men's doubles, partnering with Seiya Kishikawa, he secured bronze medals in 2009 and 2013. In the men's team event, he consistently contributed to Japan's medal haul, earning bronze medals in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. His highest team achievement was a silver medal in 2016 in Kuala Lumpur. His last World Championships singles appearance was in 2019, where he was defeated by South Korea's Jeoung Young-sik in the round of 32, failing to achieve his goal of a singles medal at the World Championships.

3.6. ITTF World Tour and Grand Finals

Mizutani had a highly successful career on the ITTF World Tour. He won seven singles titles: the 2009 Korea Open, 2010 Hungarian Open, 2012 Kuwait Open, 2012 Japan Open, 2016 Slovenia Open, 2016 Australian Open, and 2016 Polish Open. He was also a runner-up four times in singles: 2010 Japan Open, 2011 Japan Open, 2014 Japan Open, and 2015 Austrian Open.

In men's doubles, he won two ITTF World Tour titles: the 2009 China (Suzhou) Open and 2009 Japan Open. He was a runner-up four times: 2006 Chinese Taipei Open, 2009 German Open, 2009 English Open, and 2010 Hungarian Open. In mixed doubles, he won two ITTF World Tour titles in 2019 (Bulgaria Open with Mima Ito) and 2020 (Qatar Open with Mima Ito), and was a runner-up in the 2020 German Open (with Mima Ito) and the 2019 Grand Finals (with Mima Ito).

He was particularly successful at the prestigious ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, winning the men's singles title twice in 2010 (Seoul) and 2014 (Bangkok), becoming the first Japanese player to win two men's singles gold medals at the Grand Finals. He also secured a bronze medal in men's singles in 2018 (Incheon).

3.7. Other Major International Competitions

Mizutani also achieved notable results in other significant international events.
At the Table Tennis World Cup, he reached the semifinals four times (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015), finishing 4th on each occasion. In the team event, he earned a bronze medal in 2013. He also won two bronze medals in men's singles at the Volkswagen Cup in 2010 (Guangzhou and Braunschweig) and another bronze in 2011. The Volkswagen Cup was a prestigious world tournament featuring the top 8 players (one per country) based on world rankings.

At the Asian Games, he reached the semifinals in men's singles in 2010 and in men's team in 2010 and 2014. In men's doubles, he reached the quarter-finals in 2006. At the Asian Table Tennis Championships, he won silver medals in the team event in 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2013, and a bronze medal in men's doubles in 2007. In singles, he reached the quarter-finals in 2009 and 2012. He also won bronze medals in men's singles at the Asian Cup Table Tennis Tournament in 2007, 2014, and 2015.

At the East Asian Games, he won a silver medal in the men's team event and a bronze medal in men's doubles (with Seiya Kishikawa) in 2009. He also earned a bronze medal in the men's team event at the Universiade in 2009, where he served as the captain of the Japanese sports delegation.

3.8. Career Turning Points and Challenges

Mizutani's career was marked by several pivotal moments and challenges. Early in his career, he suffered a fatigue fracture in his right shin in high school, forcing him off the court for six months, which led him to focus on better nutrition.

A significant challenge arose in October 2012 when he publicly raised concerns about the widespread use of "booster" (illegal glue) on table tennis rubbers by many players, which was a violation of international rules. He temporarily withdrew from international competitions to advocate for a solution to this issue. Although the problem took time to resolve, his strong desire to play led him to return to international competitions six months later at the Kuwait Open.

He also faced physical challenges, including increasing vision difficulties later in his career. By 2019, he often wore special glasses during matches as he struggled to see the ball and its spin due to light reflections from advertising boards. Despite these difficulties, he remarkably won the All Japan Championships, attributing his success to intuition and experience rather than clear vision. He also suffered from recurrent cold sores due to stress from his demanding schedule.

3.9. Retirement

Jun Mizutani officially announced his retirement from professional table tennis after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the decision confirmed by World Table Tennis on February 10, 2022. The primary reason cited for his retirement was his increasing sight difficulties, which had been affecting his performance and required him to wear special glasses during matches. He expressed that he had no regrets and had achieved his career goals. His retirement ceremony took place on February 27, 2022, at Arena Tachikawa Tachihi.

3.10. Career Statistics

As of March 2020, Mizutani's head-to-head singles records against notable players in ITTF official matches include:

• Opponents with many matches:
  • Chuang Chih-yuan (TPE): 16-5
  • Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER): 13-6
  • Timo Boll (GER): 2-17
  • Ma Long (CHN): 0-16
  • Xu Xin (CHN): 1-14
  • Bastian Steger (GER): 8-3
  • Gao Ning (SGP): 8-2
• Other significant opponents:
  • Vladimir Samsonov (BLR): 5-3
  • Fan Zhendong (CHN): 0-6
  • Zhang Jike (CHN): 0-6
  • Wang Hao (CHN): 0-4
  • Ma Lin (CHN): 1-2
  • Wang Liqin (CHN): 0-2
  • Liang Jingkun (CHN): 2-3
  • Lin Gaoyuan (CHN): 1-4
  • Jörgen Persson (SWE): 2-0
  • Werner Schlager (AUT): 1-1
  • Jean-Michel Saive (BEL): 1-0
  • Lee Sang-su (KOR): 7-1
  • Jeoung Young-sik (KOR): 5-4
  • Marcos Freitas (POR): 7-1
  • Wong Chun Ting (HKG): 4-2
  • Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN): 0-3
  • Koki Niwa (JPN): 2-1
  • Maharu Yoshimura (JPN): 5-0

  Mizutani's World Ranking progression:
  

  	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
  2003							573	546	530	524	528	451
  2004	334	314	310	306	304	299	282	283	282	215	182	176
  2005	181	185		183	118	111	112	112	119	98	97	83
  2006	82	86	88	89	93	95	91	91	93	96	96	102
  2007	98	94	91	95	94	67	69	72	58	40	32	30
  2008	29	29	28	24	22	23	22	21	22	23	26	29
  2009	29	29	26	22	20	20	17	17	11	12	11	12
  2010	10	11	10	11	11	9	9	8	10	10	9	10
  2011	7	7	7	7	7	6	6	8	6	6	7	8
  2012	9	9	8	7	7	7	5	5	6	7	7	10
  2013	10	8	9	10	10	11	14	13	15	14	14	13
  2014	13	13	11	10	8	8	8	8	7	7	5	5
  2015	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	5	6	6	6
  2016	6	7	6	7	6	6	6	6	5	5	5	5
  2017	5	4	6	6	6	6	7	6	8	7	6	7
  2018	13	14	14	11	13	13	13	12	12	12	19	13
  2019	10	10	10	13	13	14	13	14	13	13	13	14
  2020	16	15	15	17														17	18
  2021	18	18	18	18	18	18	18	21	21	22	23	23
  2022	23	28

  
  
  His performance in the T.League for Kinoshita Meister Tokyo:
  

  Season	League Name	Team	Jersey No.	Singles			Doubles
  				Matches Played	Wins	Losses	Matches Played	Wins	Losses
  2018-19	T.League	Kinoshita Meister Tokyo	0	19	14	5	15	7	8
  2019-20				12	6	6	3	1	2
  2020-21				20	13	7	13	8	5
  2021-22				0	0	0	3	1	2
  Total				51	33	18	34	17	17

4.1. Playing Style and Technical Abilities

Mizutani possessed a unique combination of natural talent, including world-class predictive abilities, physical prowess, and an incredibly soft ball touch. Masaaki Maehara, the head of strengthening for the Japan Table Tennis Association, described his ball touch as a "once-in-decades natural talent." Former world number 1 Dimitrij Ovtcharov stated that Mizutani's predictive ability was among the top three in the world. Mizutani himself claimed that he did not need exceptional reflexes in table tennis, highlighting his superior predictive skills.

His physical abilities were also remarkable; as a child, he excelled in various sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball, demonstrating his versatility. He was known for his world-class defensive skills, serving ability, and rallying prowess. His strong competitive spirit was also a defining trait, leading to many captivating rallies and matches that made him a popular player globally.

Mizutani's soft ball touch was further refined during his elementary school years. Finding enjoyment in the lob technique, which allowed for longer rallies, he practiced extensively. He excelled at reading the ball's trajectory during rallies and effectively utilized block shots as a tactical weapon. According to Mario Amizic, a coach for the Japan Table Tennis Association, Mizutani was one of the few exceptional players who could primarily use a blocking game. However, he continuously adapted his playing style with the times, often being referred to as "New Mizutani" for his ability to adjust and even play closer to the net in later years, showcasing his wide range of play.

His favorite techniques included his serve, forehand, middle-court block, and lob. He was particularly renowned for his serves, boasting a repertoire of over 20 variations, considered among the best in the world. While his cut-shot defense was initially a weakness, leading to losses against players like Koji Matsushita and Chen Qi, he showed signs of overcoming this by defeating Joo Sae-hyuk at the 2009 Korea Open.

Mizutani often struggled against other left-handed players, including Michael Maze, Chen Qi, Xu Xin, and Timo Boll. However, he famously defeated Xu Xin 3-2 in the team final at the Rio Olympics and Timo Boll 3-0 in the team semi-final, demonstrating his ability to overcome these challenges on the biggest stages.

A notable quirk of Mizutani's playing habits was his practice of not wearing underwear during matches, a habit he adopted in junior high after learning that players from Aomori Yamada Junior High and High School did the same. He claimed this was a "tradition of Aomori Yamada High School," though other alumni like Koki Niwa have denied this.

4.2. Equipment and Training Methods

Mizutani's equipment choices evolved throughout his career to match his playing style and adapt to rule changes. He primarily used Butterfly equipment. His preferred blade was the Butterfly Mizutani Jun ZLC. For rubbers, he favored Dignics 80 on both his forehand and backhand sides. Prior to the Rio Olympics, he used Tenergy 64 but switched to Tenergy 80 to seek further improvement.

Throughout his career, Mizutani worked with several coaches. He had Gregor Clemens Foerster and Seiya Kishikawa as coaches. From 2013, he also brought in Qiu Jianxin as his exclusive private coach, with whom he had a contract that concluded after the 2016 Rio Olympics. His training regimen was rigorous, and he was known for his unique approaches to preparation, constantly seeking ways to enhance his game.

5.1. Family and Marriage

Mizutani married his girlfriend on November 22, 2013. On October 14, 2014, he announced on his blog the birth of his daughter, expressing his joy and stating, "It's a bit late already. This is my daughter. She always heals my heart."

5.2. Other Ventures

In addition to his table tennis career, Mizutani made an appearance as himself in the 2017 Japanese film Mixed Doubles, a romantic comedy centered around table tennis.

He is also known for his hobbies, which include muscle training, playing mobile games, and watching professional wrestling. He has collaborated with popular YouTube creators and appeared in various media. His passion for professional wrestling led to a special interview with Atsushi Onita in a New Year's special edition of Tokyo Sports in January 2017. He also considers Dimitrij Ovtcharov a close friend and long-time rival.

6.1. Major Awards and Honors

Mizutani was recognized with several national and regional accolades, including the Order of the Purple Ribbon in 2021. He received the Aomori Prefectural People's Honor Award twice, the Aomori Prefectural Sports Special Award, and the Aomori Prefectural Sports Honor Special Award. His hometown honored him with the Iwata City People's Honor Award.

He also received special recognition from his alma mater, the Meiji University Special Contribution Award, and the JOC Special Contribution Award from the Japanese Olympic Committee. In the T.League, he was honored as the inaugural MVP (Most Valuable Player) and received the Best Pair Player Award, Excellent Player Award, and Fair Play Award. Other notable awards include the Yu-Moa Award (2021), To-O Sports Award, Chubu Sports Grand Prize, Japan Sports Award, Mainichi Sports Person Award (2021), Sports Nippon Forum Award (2021), and the Tanita Health Grand Prize (2021). In January 2022, he received the Special Award at the 33rd Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Awards.

In recognition of his gold medal victory in mixed doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a commemorative gold post (the 38th of its kind as part of the Gold Post Project) was installed in front of Talkpia Kawasaki in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, on December 26, 2021.

6.2. Media Appearances and Influence

Mizutani has had extensive involvement in television programs, media commentary, and various public engagements, becoming a prominent public figure in Japan.

He has been a regular host and commentator on several television shows, including "TV Tokyo Table Tennis School Hajimemasu" (February-March 2022) and its successor "TV Tokyo Table Tennis School ~Hit Rally, Ittokuuuu?~" (April 2022-present) as head coach. Since April 2022, he has also served as a sports caster for "Zoom In!! Saturday" on Nippon TV and a commentator for "Hirunobi!" on TBS (Mondays). In January 2024, he began hosting "World Table Tennis Yamitsuki TV" on TV Tokyo.

Beyond regular appearances, he has been featured in numerous special programs and documentaries, often discussing his career, training, and insights into table tennis. These include "Sports Tairiku: Defeating China - Jun Mizutani" (NHK BS1, 2010), "Deep People: Table Tennis to Beat China" (NHK, 2011), and "Aim for the 2020 Olympians" series (NHK, multiple episodes 2014-2019). He has also appeared in popular variety shows such as "Nakai Masahiro's 8-Ban Shobu!" (Nippon TV), "SPORTS Watcher" (TV Tokyo), "Nakai Masahiro's Sports! Gougai Scoop Neraimasu!" (TV Asahi), "Guruguru Ninety-Nine" (Nippon TV), "Run for Money" (Fuji TV), "VS Arashi" (Fuji TV), "Beat Takeshi's Sports Taisho" (TV Asahi), "Gutto! Sports" (NHK), and "Junk SPORTS" (Fuji TV).

Mizutani has also participated in radio programs like "TOYOTA Athlete Beat" on TOKYO FM (2016, 2021) and will host "GMO Click Securities Presents Jun Mizutani's Investment & Healthcare" on TBS Radio starting October 2024. His film appearance in "Mixed Doubles" (2017) further expanded his media presence. He has also starred in commercials for Nintendo's "Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch" (2021), Kinoshita Kogyo (2023), and MAKERS uFit (2024), where he also serves as a brand ambassador.

He has authored several books, including "Table Tennis King Jun Mizutani's Winning Rules: 99 Promises to Win Matches" (2015), "Losers Practice Uselessly: Table Tennis King's Winner Mentality" (2016), and "The Power to Hit Back: Get the Strongest Mental Game" (2021). He also maintains an official website and active social media presence on platforms like Twitter and Instagram. His YouTube channel features collaborations and discussions related to his career.

7.1. Media Roles and Commentary

Mizutani has become a prominent sports commentator and analyst for table tennis events, particularly for TV Tokyo. He serves as a head coach and commentator for "TV Tokyo Table Tennis School" programs and is a sports caster for "Zoom In!! Saturday" on Nippon TV. He also provides commentary for "Hirunobi!" on TBS. His extensive experience and insights from his playing career make him a sought-after voice in sports broadcasting.

7.2. Other Ventures

Beyond his media work, Mizutani has taken on several other roles. He is affiliated with Kinoshita Group Holdings as a sports ambassador. He has also engaged in various sponsorship deals, including with Butterfly, Frieden, uFit (as a brand ambassador from April 2022), Suzuki Parts, Toto Bi, Shimojima, and CHRIO. He has even supervised the creation of food products, such as "Mizutani Jun Curry" and "Mizutani Jun Curry (BLACK)" and "Mizutani Jun Curry (Hamburg Hayashi)" under the Frieden brand.